


By the Hand

by PalomaSheith



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Not Canon Compliant, Post-War, Romance, Shiro Birthday Exchange 2019
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-02
Updated: 2019-03-02
Packaged: 2019-11-08 04:29:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,658
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17974517
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PalomaSheith/pseuds/PalomaSheith
Summary: Shiro rolled to his back. A soft blue glow caught his eye from the foot of the bed.“What?” He sat up and blinked down  at his Altean arm sitting on the edge of the mattress.He tried calling the arm back. No dice. It just sat there. Buzzing.He tried again. And again. But it just sat there. Mocking him with each vibration.“Keith?” He waited. Nothing.  “Fine,” he muttered as he threw back the comforter reached for the arm.It hopped backwards.So did Shiro.





	By the Hand

**Author's Note:**

  * For [narada-talis (sarensen)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sarensen/gifts).



> Hi, Narada!  
> I hope you enjoy your Shiro Birthday Exchange gift!  
> You requested:  
> "Sheith please :) Anything with Keith spoiling Shiro or taking care of him. Hurt/comfort or something cute and soft is ok. Bonus for anything centered around Shiro’s arm, but not necessary."

There was no other way to describe it but a buzz. An annoying, repetitive buzz.

Shiro tried to ignore it. But it just kept going. And going.

He rolled over and buried his face in the cool satin of the pillowcase. “Keeeeefff…”

He reached out blindly with his left hand but found the bed cold. He frowned against the fabric and peeked over the pillow mound at the unoccupied expanse of bed.

The buzzing continued.

Shiro rolled to his back. A soft blue glow caught his eye from the foot of the bed.

“What?” He sat up and blinked down  at his Altean arm sitting on the edge of the mattress.

He tried calling the arm back. No dice. It just sat there. Buzzing.

He tried again. And again. But it just sat there. Mocking him with each vibration.

“Keith?” He waited. Nothing.  “Fine,” he muttered as he threw back the comforter reached for the arm.

It hopped backwards.

So did Shiro.

He landed on the hardwood with a smack.

He stared up at his hand. His hand peeked over the edge of the bed. He let out a strangled sound as it walked on its fingers backwards disappearing over the tangle of bedclothes. Slowly, cautiously Shiro sat up. The arm was waiting for him with a red A-style envelope between two fingers.

When Shiro made no move to claim the envelope, the fingers wagged the paper at him until he finally took it. He turned it over in his hand before sliding his thumb under the flap. He let the envelope fall to the floor as he pulled an ivory card free. Familiar black scrawl flowed read:

“Happy birthday, Shiro. Follow the hand. First is Yellow.”

He read it twice more before looking back at the hand. “Fine,” he pointed his finger at the Altean arm, “But no funny business.”

Shiro pushed himself up and pulled on a t-shirt and sweatpants. The hand scurried off the bed and followed him to the door where he toed on an old pair of sneakers all while watching it. As he approached the door the arm floated past and slipped into the hallway. Shiro eyed it warily, but follows.

The Galaxy Garrison is a 24 hour facility, even post-war, but in the predawn hours the hallways are thankfully abandoned.

Shiro follows the arm. It pauses on occasion flaring the blue light as if making sure he's still following.

He found himself being led to the kitchens. Soon the scent of vanilla and banana fills the air. The arm hovers momentarily in the doorway of a small kitchen area. Ovens and blast freezers wrapped in stainless steel lined the walls. Upbeat rhythms pour from a speaker on the counter and Hunk hums along as he removes a muffin tray from an oven.

He catches sight of Shiro as he places the tray on a counter. “Hey! Birthday boy!”

Shiro smiles and steps fully into the kitchen. “Good morning. I uh… Smells amazing.”

Hunk smiles broadly. “Banana nut bread.” He spreads a towel over the muffins and pan. While holding the edges of the towel and the muffin pan, he turned the pan upside down and gently joggled it up and down. The muffins fell free. Hunk held the towel like a sack and placed it in a little basket. It was like a cooking channel centerfold. He slid the basket closer to Shiro.

Shiro stepped closer to the counter. Hunk chuckled and held out a slim black box. A red envelope underneath. The Altean arm retrieved them. It held the package out expectantly.

Shiro opened the lid. “Huh…” He wasn't sure what he was expecting. Jewelry maybe. Not “Goggles?” Nicer than any pair he'd owned before. Perfect for riding.

Hunk shrugged.

Unsure what to do, Shiro slid the goggles over his head and let then dangle around his neck. He pulled the card from the envelope.

“Next clue: Blue.” Shiro looked up in time for the Altean arm to hand him a muffin and then it's off.

And so is Shiro. Through a mouthful of muffin he thanks Hunk and races after the arm. It's faster than before, but Shiro catches up easily. He follows it down the corridors chomping the muffin as he moves. It stops abruptly in front the lounge. Shiro peeks inside finding Lance and Allura huddled over a data pad speaking softly. Shiro almost hated to interrupt the soft glances and easy intimacy of the moment, but his arm didn't. It floated into the room and tapped on the large black box next to Allura which was topped with a familiar red envelope.

Allura beamed at his from the couch, “Shiro!”

Lance shifted next her adopting a casual air, “Hey! If it isn't the birthday boy? What took ya do long?”

Allura carried the package to Shiro, the Altean arm carried the note. “The sunrise is less than varga away.”

Shiro lifted the lid, “Sunrise? What does that matter?”

“Well-”

Lance came up from behind and wrapped an arm around Allura, “It just does.”

Allura frowned as Shiro lifted the gift from the box, “I truly do not understand the reason for complexity here. Would it not be simpler if we told Shiro?”

Lance smiled and dropped a kiss on Allura's cheek. “Maybe. But Keith would kill me.”

Shiro ignored the exchange as he unfolded the soft leather garment in front of him. It was a jacket.  Black and white leather stitched in sharp angles to recreate the design of his paladin armor. It was beautiful.

“You're supposed to put it on,” Allura offered.

Shiro nodded and slid his arm into taffeta lined sleeve. The right arm was cut to perfectly fit the base of his prosthetic. In other words, it fit perfectly.

But he had little time to thrill on the perfect fit. The Altean arm waved the envelope in front of his face until he snatched it away. He read the card aloud, “Next stop: Green.”

“Better hurry,” Lance smiled.

And the arm agreed. It tugged his jacket collar toward the door. He turned and glared at it. It crooked a finger as it floated backwards.

“Go!” Allura laughed and waved her hand at the doorway.

The Altean arm zoomed out of the room even faster than the last time. Shiro smiled to himself as he navigated the hallways. He kept pace on the steep metal staircases as the arm floated into the vehicle hangar. The smell of fuel and grease mingled with the crisp morning air. A small figure stood near the open hangar door. “Pidge!” Shiro called out as he trotted across the concrete floor.

Pidge smiled proudly as the Altean arm landed on her shoulder. She waved a controller in greeting.

“Ah ha…” Shiro laughed. “I guess I have you to thank for… this…” He waved at the Altean arm.

Pidge hummed contentedly and placed a red envelope in the prosthetic's palm. She navigated the controls and the arm presented the envelope. This one was bulkier, bigger. He torn it open and emptied the contents into the Altean palm. Another ivory card and a single key attached to a plain black “T” shaped keychain. The card held a simple set of coordinates.

Before Shiro could speak, Pidge approached. She pulled a small round chip off the wrist of the Altean arm.  Instantly, Shiro felt the connection return. He flexed the fingers and smiled at the response. Pidge looked over her shoulder at the purpling horizon. “Better get a move on.”  She pointed at a sleek black and white hover bike. “Don't want to be late.”

He pulled Pidge in for a hug, but she wiggled free with a laugh. “Go!”

Shiro ran to the hover bike. God, it was gorgeous. He ran his hands over the soft leather seat. It was long and low with forward positioned footpegs. He slung a long leg over and couldn't stop the giddy laugh that escaped his lips. He slid the key in the ignition and laughed again as the engine roared to life. With a huge smile plastered across his face, he i put the coordinates and sped off into the early morning light.

The bike wove through the rocks and past  every dip with smooth precision. It had a powerful torque even at low speeds and even in the low light Shiro could see that there had been no compromise in terms of materials and finishes.

He slowed and then stopped at the edge of a sandstone gap. A red hoverbike and familiar  form waited for him.

Keith's long hair was loose and wild in the wind. He turned away from the sunrise as Shiro approached.

The bronze rays of sunlight peeked over mountains and buttes behind Keith washing the canyon in a breathtaking array of orange and reds. But none near as beautiful as the man Shiro loved.

Keith smiled and licked across his bottom lip and Shiro felt like he'd ascended. He tucked a stray hair behind his boyfriend's ear and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips. “Keith,” he breathed the name. A praise. A prayer. An unspoken gratitude that he'd lived long enough to make this man his own.

Keith kisser Shiro again. Slower. Sweeter. Savoring every second of contact and the dance of tongues.

Reluctantly, Shiro let Keith pull away. “Are you ready for your _real_ present?” Keith smiled up at him with a nervous press of his lips.

“Keith,” Shiro kissed his forehead. “You've done so much. And-” laughed and gestured at the hoverbikes. “I love it. All of it. But you’re the only thing I need.” He kissed Keith's nose. “I love you.”

Keith cupped Shiro's jaw in his hand and stepped backward and pulled a small black box from his pocket. He opened it slowly and went to one knee.

Shiro's heart stopped. Tears burned the backs of his eyes.

“Takashi Shirogane, will you marry me?”

**Author's Note:**

> Spoiler:
> 
> He said yes.


End file.
